7 Tips to help introverted parents survive and thrive

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Being with your kids 24/7 is exhausting, especially when you're an introverted parent. Take care of your needs and be a better parent with these pointers

Parenting is a challenge for everyone, but when you’re an introvert, being a parent becomes much more difficult. No matter how much you love your children, being around them almost all day can be draining.

Because introverts need alone time to get energized, constant interaction with children can make it seem impossible to recharge. But with a little strategizing, you can regain the balance you need and be a more effective parent in the process. Here are some tips from The Huffington Post, Quiet Revolution, andCreating a Fair Havenon how to do just that.

1. Don’t punish yourself for being who you are

Your introversion is not a flaw. Instead of focusing on changing your personality (you can’t), look for external solutions to make parenting easier for you. As you make these changes in your home, explain to your children that you need isolation to recharge, and that they will benefit as well because you will be a more effective parent as a result.

Photo: Dreamstime

2. Wake up early

Waking up early allows you to begin your day quietly. Take it slowly—instead of going straight to your chores, just sit down with your cup of coffee, the newspaper, and enjoy these precious moments of silence. If your kids are early risers as well, let them know that they should stay in their rooms until a designated time so that you can still have this time to yourself.

3. Set an early bedtime

When you have your kids go to bed early, you’ll have more time to yourself. Sending your kids to bed at 7pm doesn’t mean that they have to go to sleep right away—they can read or play quietly, for example—but it’s important for them to know that from that time onwards, you need to rest.

A lifestyle writer by day and a fictionist by night, Cristina can be found planning her next beach trip when she isn't working. She is a dog mommy to a Yorkshire terrier, who is turning four this year.